A Festival of W.S. Gilbert Plays: Creatures of Impulse, Comedy and Tragedy, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, The Hooligan

This collection of four plays (or playlets) by W.S. Gilbert has perhaps more historical or biographical interest than artistic merit, but they are quite likely a revelation for lovers of the comic operas written with Arthur Sullivan. 

Gilbert, the libretto man in the famous Gilbert & Sullivan partnership, wrote over eighty plays (so the program tells us) but only fourteen of them became the famous and perennially performed comic operas.  But just as Arthur Sullivan yearned for recognition for his ‘serious’ music (now almost entirely forgotten), so Gilbert wrote play after play away from Sullivan – although on the examples of the four plays selected here some would seem to be potboilers, and others the result of commissions.  The pointed satire and wit of the operas are not much in evidence.  With the notable exception of The Hooligan, they are deliberately farcical or ‘comic’ (and popular in their time).  Nevertheless, they are representative of Gilbert’s playwriting across the span of his career.  Creatures of Impulse was first performed in 1871, The Hooligan (a most non-comic piece) in 1911 three months before his death.

Creatures of Impulse is a sort of pre-absurd Absurd, based on the premise that a cantankerous Old Lady (Diana Burleigh) has magic powers and to punish the townspeople trying to evict her from the inn, she lays a curse on each, causing them to act contrary to their natures.  So painfully shy Pipette (Heidi Lupprian) suddenly wants to kiss the men, and miser Boomblehardt (John Parncutt) presses sovereigns into the hands of all and sundry.  Director Danielle Zuccala milks every bit of physical comedy she can out of these transformations, but that’s it.  It’s certainly ‘funny’ but it goes nowhere – because of the limitations of the script.  The acting is mostly exaggerated - although Anna Castle as innkeeper Martha comes off best by being perfectly natural and not trying to be funny.

Gilbert concocted Comedy and Tragedy as a showpiece for American actress Mary Anderson as ‘actress’ Clarice.  Here the role is taken by Sara Dimech-Betancourt - the standout star of the evening.  Tall, attractive, vivacious, a natural comedienne, she has only to improve her diction if she wants to pursue a theatrical career.  The plot is again farcical: there’s a duel between Clarice’s husband (Sam Hargreaves) and the Regent of France (Cyrus Raco) while actress Clarice tries to distract her high-status guests by performing a cod dramatic piece for them.  Dimech-Betancourt does very well playing an actress who is also a very bad actress…  No mean feat.

Gilbert, apparently, was no fan of Shakespeare (well, neither was G.B. Shaw) and his animus shows in his supposed ‘parody’ of Hamlet.  Rosencrantz (Kevin Yap) and gentle Guildenstern (Cyrus Raco) become the protagonists, tasked with stopping Hamlet (Timofey Alexandrov) boring everyone with all that soliloquising.  Yet again, Dimech-Betancourt shines, here as Ophelia.  But ‘parody’?  Not really.

The surprise of the evening is The Hooligan.  Not in the least ‘comic’, it is, essentially, a monologue by a working-class man, Nat Solly (Josh Weaver), condemned to death for the murder of his wife.  It is dawn on the morning of his execution.  The audience for his pleading, exculpatory speech is his gaolers, another official and the obligatory priest.  Most notable – and impressive – is that there is not a trace of sentimentality or any attempt to soften or excuse the crime – except the strong implication that Nat Solly is a man of limited intelligence, deprived of every chance and opportunity in life.  Gilbert also brings out the irony of the ‘normality’ of capital punishment via the ridiculous blandishments of one gaoler, Mathers (John Parncutt) who urges Solly to have a wash and eat his breakfast and then he’ll feel better…  Director Naomi Tooby plays it dead straight as does Weaver, and Parncutt as the gaoler – possibly his is the best performance of the night.

Although the texts of these plays are not particularly impressive, the performances vary (allowing for much doubling-up), and three of the four directors fall into the trap of over-acted ‘comedy’, the audience was completely involved.  Foyer conversations revealed a community that gave these plays close attention, interpretation and enjoyment.  Clearly, GSOV has a loyal and engaged audience and here the company moves away from ‘music theatre’ and operetta to reveal another facet of their namesake W.S. Gilbert.

Michael Brindley       

Images (from top): Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - Kevin Yap (Guildenstern),  Sara Dimech-Betancourt (Ophelia), Philip Liberatore (Osric the Page), Cyrus Raco (Rosencrantz), Bruce Packard (King Claudius), Christine Hill (Queen Gertrude) and Timofey Alexandrov (Hamlet); Creatures of Impulse - Diana Burleigh (A Strange Old Lady) and Kevin Yapp (Sergeant Kloop); Comedy and Tragedy - Sam Hargreaves (Philippe de Quillacq) and Sara Dimech-Betancourt (Clarice de Quillacq) & The Hooligan - Timofey Alexandrov (Chaplain), Philip Liberatore (Doctor), Bruce Packard (Governor), John Parncutt (Warder Mathers), Josh Weaver (Nat Solly) and Cyrus Raco (Warder Joe). Photographer: Robin Halls.